NHL playoff standings: Clarifying the Central chaos

Heading into Thursday night's massive 14-game slate, the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild each have 98 points atop the Central Division. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, this is the second time in NHL history that the top three clubs in a division all had the same number of points at this stage of a season (with all three having completed 90% or more of their schedule).

(For the history buffs, the last time was 2016-17, when the Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks and Edmonton Oilers all had 91 points through March 25, 2017.)

So which team will ultimately prevail as the regular-season division champ? And will the Winnipeg Jets and Nashville Predators join the postseason party?

Importantly, the Avs have an extra game in hand on everyone. But if the points end up the same after Game 82 for each team, the Stars as of now have an edge in regulation wins (35, compared to 32 for the Avs and Wild).

After Thursday night's game against the Sharks (10:30 p.m. ET, NHL Power Play on ESPN+), the Avs complete their California road trip against the Los Angeles Kings (Saturday) and Ducks (Sunday), before home matchups with the Oilers (April 11) and Jets (April 13). Finally, they'll close things out with a road game against the Preds on April 14.

The Stars host the Flyers on Thursday (8:30 p.m. ET, NHL Power Play on ESPN+), then the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday, before road games against the Detroit Red Wings and St. Louis Blues, and a final game against the Blues to finish things off.

Minnesota has, in theory, the most challenging opponent Thursday, the Pittsburgh Penguins (7 p.m. ET, NHL Power Play on ESPN+), then hosts the Blues, travels to take on the Chicago Blackhawks, and closes out with a home